


Amongst the Stars

by haato_biito



Category: Sword Art Online
Genre: Comatose, Dreams, Dreamscapes, F/M, Original Boss - Freeform, Original Floor, Sleep Induction, Solo Battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-30 06:50:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11458275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haato_biito/pseuds/haato_biito
Summary: Asuna and Kirito had begun to make their way through the most recently unlocked floor of Sword Art Online. The environment, until this point, had been filled with enemies of a dreamy quality. Translucent, wispy mobs floated and glided along the floor’s pink, cloud-like structures, cloaked in the infinity of night, but illuminated with the soft glow of the stars. If a player accidentally stepped off the iridescent paths embedded into the cloudy, cotton candy ground, they would descend through and land exactly where they had dropped from the sky.What was even more unusual than this, however, was the fact that the enemies of this floor possessed a debuff that became a major deterrent to all players involved: sleep induction.So, it was with great skepticism and caution that the front-lining Knights of the Blood, Fuurinkazan, and one solo player had stepped into the newest Boss Room.





	Amongst the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as a writing prompt for a short drabble, but turned into the creation of my very own SAO floor - complete with a Boss! I hope you all find as much entertainment from this made-up floor as I have, because I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was interesting to make my Boss, attack patterns, and player reactions, as well as my own potions and loot.~ I might try it again one day!
> 
> This can also be read on tumblr [here](http://asuuna.tumblr.com/post/162815723587)!

Within many role-playing video games, one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome are enemy debuffs. Ranging from paralysis, to a temporary inability to access one’s inventory, to increased risks of tumbling with everything in between, one had to be careful not to get caught up in unfavorable enemy attack.

During their time in Sword Art Online, Asuna and Kirito had both encountered a wide range of these debuffs, and knew the risks involved. Especially during Boss fights, such status effects could be detrimental, resulting in the ending of one’s life if not dealt with properly.

A common mistake was incurring too much of the enemy’s ‘Hate’ debuff without preparing a counter. More often than not, Kirito was the one who dealt with such an effect, and it was to ensure that other, more incapable members of the raid group did not become unnecessarily hurt. It almost became a personal obligation for Kirito; his duty to finish off Bosses and create an incentive for the conquest for freedom to be continued ever forward.

This being said, such acts of self-perceived altruism did not always have the desired effect.

Constantly taking the Last Attack bonus loot and EXP caused others to become annoyed and put-out, and as this soon developed into a recurrent theme in Boss fights, Asuna started to feel uneasy. After all, one slip up in this world could cost someone their entire future, and she could not image what would happen if Kirito lost control of the battle.

As the frontline group persevered further and deeper into the death game of Sword Art Online and climbed more and more floors, stranger and more unusual enemy debuffs became apparent.

Common status effects such as stuns and delays were inevitable and occurred at almost every level, but floor-specific debuffs that had to be taken into consideration rose in quantity as the floor number escalated. Curses, paralysis, blindness, panics, poisons, and even stomachaches were some of the most prevalent amongst the negative status effects the group had faced until now, with some proving to be bigger issues than others.

Although stomachaches did not sound like too much trouble, in reality, it was almost a combination debuff, merging dizziness with poor weapon handling and reduced speed. Additionally, an uncomfortable tightening of the abdomen could not be ignored, and Asuna remembered almost wishing she had incurred a curse debuff rather than a stomachache during that particular floor’s Boss fight.

So, it was with great skepticism and caution that the front-lining Knights of the Blood, Fuurinkazan, and one solo player had stepped into the newest Boss Room, and prepared for the worst.

The entire floor until this point had been filled with enemies of a dreamy quality. Translucent, wispy mobs floated and glided along the floor’s pink, cloud-like structures, cloaked in the infinity of night, but illuminated with the soft glow of the stars. Some represented common sleep-related animals, like sheep, whereas others looked like they only existed in this dream space. Even the floor’s foliage resembled traditional, five-point stars, and lights glittered around the open expanse, close enough to touch.

If a player accidentally stepped off the iridescent paths embedded into the cloudy, cotton candy ground, they would descend through and land exactly where they had dropped from the sky. This paradoxical phenomenon initially brought relief to the players, knowing that it was impossible to fall off the floor, but soon became a hindrance as the paths narrowed towards the Boss’ labyrinth dungeon.

What was even more annoying than this, however, was the fact that the enemies of this floor possessed a debuff that became a major deterrent to all players involved: sleep induction. Many mobs released a sparkly, pink mist that, on contact, created dizziness and increased chances of tumbling, but if an enemy were to touch the player, they would instantly lose consciousness – a fearsome consequence in the midst of a battle.

The main town of the floor, Andromeda, consisted of oddly shaped and colored buildings, something that would only exist within a dream, and they continuously created illusions that drove many players crazy. A building that appeared almost too small to even enter would turn out to be an inn, with many stories of lodging, and a massive mansion would, in reality, be only one small, humble room containing a single NPC in the corner reading a book.

Without an extensive understanding of the floor’s workings and tricks, many frontliners initially felt like giving up. Yet no one did, and after discovering that long-distance Sword Skills worked better than close-range attacks, it was not long until the risk of induced sleep could be easily avoided, and the group was able to make their way to the top of the labyrinth, which resembled a crescent moon in structure.

At this point in the endeavor for freedom, there was no beta knowledge to fall back on, so the frontliners had to be prepared to experience anything. It could be that as soon as the blue flames surrounding the Boss battle dome were lit, the entire raid would become comatose, or at the very least, incur a dizziness debuff. Luckily, Asuna and Kirito were previously able to complete a Boss-related sidequest that provided them with anti-sleep potions, called ‘Hypersomniac’s Release’. From that point on, anyone could buy the concoction from Andromeda’s various stores.

Before entering the Floor Boss Room, the raid team were given the opportunity to swap and share a myriad of potions to ensure each party had enough Hypersomniac’s Release and general healing tonics to guarantee survival. Half of the group were instructed to drink one of the anti-sleep concoctions before the doors opened at the top of a long flight of stairs as a precaution.

As the group waited in front of those doors, Asuna stepped forward and touched the entrance with a slender finger. A blue light warped around her hand, and suddenly, the massive structure opened in front of them.

The first notable thing about the Floor Boss’ room was the layout. When the doors had reached their widest state, what lay in front of them was not the usual unfeeling, stone walls of ominous foreboding, but rather, an ethereal, open space that reached high into the stars.

This was the first time a Boss fight had occurred outside.

An iridescent, psychedelic pattern glistened on the circular ground of the arena, surrounded by the same pink clouds that lined the entire floor. Kirito wondered absently whether falling through these clouds would mean tumbling to the bottom of the floor itself, or back into the Boss Room. The fluffy substance climbed upwards at set intervals, and embedded into the thin columns of haze were the familiar, blue torches of a Boss Room. If Asuna had a chance to marvel the scene in front of her, she would have admitted how pretty the Boss Room was, but unfortunately, at moments like this, time was of the essence.

Kirito, who was also peering around the open space, turned back to Asuna and nodded. As subleader of the Knights of the Blood, she had full responsibility over her troops, and as the majority of the raid team consisted of KoB members, the outcome of the battle laid primarily in her hands.

Since the beginning of Sword Art Online, since acquainting Kirito, Asuna had grown in maturity, in strength, and in gaming prowess to become one of Sword Art Online’s most prominent beacons of hope. This hope was etched into her blade, the Lambent Light, which hung purposefully at her waist. From her position at the top of the stairs, she could see down to every last member of the raid group. This created a surge of courage within her, and she cleared her throat before swiping a hand dramatically through the air in a call for awareness.

“Attention!” she demanded, and at once, forty-seven pairs of eyes settled on her, awaiting her next orders. “The doors to the Boss Room have opened. This is an open-space arena, so be prepared for outside influence.” There was a light murmuring of doubt and shock as the news sunk in, but Asuna was quick to diminish any and all cynicism, “Yet do not let this wane your confidence! We are more than well prepared. Be sure to use Hypersomniac’s Release sparingly. The same clouds that surround the entire floor surround the Boss Room’s ground, so make sure to exert extreme caution around the edges during battle.”

Asuna quickly peered back at the Boss Room, surveilling its structure and layout. She had to think of a battle strategy; a plan that would utilize every member’s abilities to their maximum capacity. Nodding to herself as various ideas raced through her mind, she turned back to the group.

“We will position tanks at the back of the arena, towards the door. Damage Dealers, surround the middle of the floor, as a pink mass is forming above the center, and I am certain that it will become the Boss. Forwards, remain at the front of the room. Depending on the attacks of the Boss, we may get the members of the Fuurinkazan and Kirito to stay whilst KoB Forwards move to the Boss’ back.” She took a breath and yelled, “Understood? Let’s go!”

There was a general cry from the raid group as fists were pumped to the air. The members began to assemble, preparing themselves for the next battle to determine the progress of the death game of Sword Art Online.

Living up to her nickname ‘The Flash’, Asuna sped into the Boss Room with incredible speed; the rest of the raid group not far behind. Upon her entrance, Asuna drew her blade, prepared for any attack that may come unexpectedly towards her. Turning back to the doors, she was glad to see the group of players had heeded her instructions, and had begun to take formation.

Asuna glanced once again at the wispy columns of cloud, and noticed that it would not be long until the Boss would take form in front of them. The pink mass above them had become considerably bigger, and was gaining a visible configuration.

Flowing, rose-colored hair. Shimmering, golden eyes. A circlet with a star diamanté in the middle. A fluttering dress the color of space itself. A staff whose top resembled a crescent moon.

This was a humanoid Boss.

The gigantic figure raised her staff to the air, and bellowed,

“You who fought diligently through countless battles, I congratulate you. You have overcome my attempts to end your lives through passive means; you have destroyed my battalions. Yet at this moment, you will feel my wrath, for I am the Crown Head of Crescent Moon – leader of my people!”

After her introduction, the Boss’ name was finally revealed. The group looked with apprehension and caution as the bold, white sign stated, ‘Queen Celestia, Interstellar Ruler of Crescent Moon’, and four and a half sets of Health Points climbed around her.

Instantly, Queen Celestia floated down to ground level, and thrust her staff against the iridescent flooring, sending a shockwave throughout the arena. The majority of the group were able to jump in time, yet those who were too close to prepare suitably were knocked to the ground, their weapons sprawling across the glistening surface. They tried to stand up, but faltered on their feet.

“What happened? You okay?” Kirito called out from in front, noticing them struggle to stand.

“We incurred a tumbling debuff, which then turned into dizziness.” One member of the KoB replied, and sighed irritably, “Tch.”

“It’s okay!” Asuna yelled as she raced forward, “Just be prepared next time.”

After the initial shock of the surprise long-range attack waned, the group soon reassembled and were able to fight powerfully against their foe.

About twenty minutes into the battle, the Boss’ first HP bar had disintegrated, leaving three and a half left. Reaching an important part in the battle, Queen Celestia screeched in rage,

“How dare you! How dare you mock me?! This atrocity will soon be over! You will not defeat me!”

She waved her staff across the sky, and a pink, sparkling mist formed overhead. Asuna looked up in shock. If that mist was anything like the usual attacks released by the mobs of this level, coming into contact with it would surely result in sleep induction. She could not afford to let her raid members fall into such a trap. Scrolling frantically through her inventory, Asuna searched for her tonic. She screamed to the group,

“Everyone! Drink Hypersomniac’s Release right now!”

She found what she desired, and made the potion appear in her hand and chugged the contents down. Suddenly, she was surrounded by a temporary, golden glow, and particles of light seemingly floated from her skin. She looked to the top-right of her vision as a yellow star appeared in her buffs list – anti-sleep.

Having sorted herself out, Asuna looked around for Kirito. The boy had heeded her warning, as the rest of the raid group had, and held an empty bottle in his right hand, also peering at the ominous mist above them. He threw the glass away, and it clinked against the ground before fragmenting into shards of blue. His gaze turned to Queen Celestia, add he noticed how the gargantuan ruler of the stars was temporarily stunned by her own attack. Unsheathing the Dark Repulser along with his Elucidator, he held the two weapons with an unbreakable grip, and rushed towards the Boss.

Asuna was not far behind.

Kirito yelled out to a KoB tank that was close-by to kneel down. The man initially had a look on his confusion on his face, but with limited time and the Black Swordsman rushing at him at full speed, he hastily did so, and Kirito leapt from him like a springboard, propelled towards the Boss’ dazed face. He held his dual swords in position for a Sword Skill, and released a flurry of attacks at the Queen’s circlet, having figured out her weak point. The sixteen-hit combo ‘Starburst Stream’ was dealt to the Boss, and the Queen yelled out in pain, holding her head in her hands. The pink mist subsided, and Kirito yelled out,

“Switch!” as he fell back to earth.

“Yes!” Asuna yelled out in reply, and soared into the air gracefully from her heels. With the Boss kneeled over in pain, Asuna was able to reach her more easily, and could deal an eight-hit combo, Star Splash, to her forehead. Queen Celestia let out a bellow, and was forced to the ground.

“Nice, Asuna!” Kirito yelled out to her, showing her a thumb’s up as she descended in an arc.

“Good goin’! Awesome effort!” Klein yelled out, pumping a fist in the air.

As soon as Asuna landed safely, all members of the raid group rushed forward, and dealt their own damage to the Boss. During this endeavor, Queen Celestia had lost a quarter of her second HP bar, and a surge of confidence elated the group.

The raid members continued to fight in a comparable fashion, and experienced similar results as HP bar after HP bar was diminished.

However, both Asuna and Kirito started to feel tense.

Usually by the midway point of battle, the attack patterns of a Boss would alter and increase in difficulty. Yet this had not occurred in the battle with Queen Celestia. As the third HP bar became close to empty, Kirito had taken a couple of steps towards Asuna in preparation for a change in attack, yet when the bar had diminished, nothing untoward occurred. Klein gave Kirito a sly look, to which the Black Swordsman had shook his head with a sigh. Asuna gave him a quizzical look before the Kirito sped back to deal another sixteen-hit combo to Queen Celestia’s circlet.

After an hour and forty-five minutes, the exhausted group yelled out in joy as the fourth bar dissipated into the sky.

It was now onto the last spurt.

Kirito opened up his inventory and removed a tonic in preparation for the interval pink mist. He had only one Hypersomniac’s Release remaining in his inventory, and was glad that he had enough left without asking others for help. Feeling the turquoise, chilled, and slightly bubbly liquid slide down his throat, he smirked as an extra ten minutes was added to his anti-sleep buff. In the vicinity, Asuna also searched through her inventory for the same concoction, but her eyes widened as she came to realization that she had none left. Scrolling back to the top of her inventory, she peered up at the sky.

There was no pink sleeping mist.

Something was wrong.

Looking back down at her inventory, she noticed a potion that otherwise went undetected. Her brows drew in thought as she studied the strange concoction. Pressing on it for more information, she gasped. It was named ‘Celestia’s Blessing’, and was liquid gold in a bottle. She was not sure what it was, what it did, or why she had it, but she closed the information tab hurriedly and searched for Kirito.

She had to let him know what was happening before he did something reckless.

Yet it was too late.

“I’m going forward!” Kirito yelled, picking up speed as he headed directly towards the Boss. He expected a cheer of encouragement from his fellow raid-members; however, a very different sound entered his ears,

“No, wait!” Asuna had screamed, running towards him, “There’s no pink mist! This is a different attack pattern!” Despite this, Kirito had already jumped in the air, and was met with the ethereal, glistening eyes of Queen Celestia herself, no longer comatose from her own debilitating debuff.  Kirito’s brows drew together in regret, his eyes wide. In his shock and confusion, he did not prepare a Sword Skill, and came crashing back to the ground as the Boss held her staff to her chest and began to hum an unfamiliar tune.

Kirito winched as he came into contact with the hard surface beneath him, and watched his already yellowed HP bar drop into the beginnings of the red zone. It was a long and hard fall.

“Kirito-kun!” Asuna cried in a panic as she reached him, kneeling by his side, “Are you alright?”

“I-I’m fine…” he replied, letting her wrap her arms around his upper left arm to help lift him back on his feet, “What’s happening?”

“I’m not so sure…” Asuna admitted, staring up at Queen Celestia as the interstellar ruler continued humming, “But it doesn’t seem good.”

“Tell the raid group to back away.” Kirito instructed, staring purposefully at Asuna, “If we don’t know what’s going to happen, we need to save as many people as we can for when it does. Go!” Asuna was hesitant to leave Kirito’s side, but she nodded, and turned around to the disorientated group.

“Everyone, retreat to the sidelines!” she commanded, “Prepare for a new attack! Put all power into tanks! Increase defense to its pinnacle!”

There was a general yell of affirmation as the raid group withdrew from the Boss. Yet Queen Celestia did not move, and continued to hum a tune that only she knew. Asuna watched this ceremony carefully, and noticed that the crescent moon at the end of her staff glowed brighter and brighter. This was the charging of a truly powerful attack, stronger than anything they had seen before, and Asuna felt like kicking herself that she did not realize so sooner.

“Anything could happen! Take any and all potions you need! Prepare for the worst!”

The Boss having half a HP bar remaining, and a seemingly high-level attack building right in front of Asuna, she contemplated what to do. Her mind switched gears, and she suddenly remembered the tonic she possessed with the unknown powers; Celestia’s Blessing. She turned back to Kirito, who was now on his feet, watching her mind work at full throttle.

“Do you have any unusual potions in your inventory?” she asked him, “Something called Celestia’s Blessing?”

He quickly searched through his concoctions before replying,

“No. Nothing like that. Why? Do you have something strange in your inventory?’

“Yeah, I do. I’m not sure what it is, though.”

“Drink it.” He stared at her hard, “You need to drink it right now.”

“Huh? Why?” Asuna replied, panicked.

“This is something given to you, Asuna. There’s a reason you have this potion. You need to take advantage of it.”

“B-But surely someone else has it as well, right? And anyway, wouldn’t you make better use of it than me, Kirito-kun?”

Kirito held the sides of Asuna’s arms, jolting her attention to him.

“I know you struggle to believe it sometimes, Asuna, but you’re strong – stronger than me. This is a power you have to harness. Of course, I’ll still help you; that’s my job.” He smiled at her, and she could only nod in reply. Kirito patted her arm once, then turned around to the group.

“Does anyone have a potion called Celestia’s Blessing in their inventory?” he asked hurriedly as he watched the Boss with caution. The Queen was no longer humming, but singing in some unknown language, lifting her staff towards the sky.

Kirito was greeted with negative replies, and turned back to Asuna.

“You’re the only one with the potion, okay? You’re the one meant to destroy this Boss.”

“That’s so much responsibility! I-I can’t LA – I’ve never done it before!”

“You can. You can definitely defeat this Boss. I’ll be there beside you the entire time. Trust yourself, Asuna.” He paused as he saw her cheeks flourish by his words, before adding, “C’mon, drink the potion.”

“O-Okay…” Asuna replied skeptically, removing the tonic from her inventory. She admired the way it shimmered in the translucent bottle. It was a very soft gold – almost clear in nature, and she imagined that if Queen Celestia could cry, this would be what her tears were made of. Uncapping the solution, she drank deeply until the entire concoction was gone.

She peered at the top-right corner of her vision, and saw another buff appear next to her HP bar. Underneath the yellow star, a sparkling, golden moon appeared, labelled ‘anti-comatose’. The buff seemed stronger than the usual anti-sleep status effect, and lasted longer, too. Asuna felt significantly more alert and aware than before.

Just as she admired this new buff, Queen Celestia finished her song with an ear-piercing note, and a beam of light shot from the end of her staff into the air. A fine, gold dust drifted from the sky, sprinkling towards the floor below. Both Asuna and Kirito watched the display with a mixture of awe and terror, dreading to find out what the delicate substance would do.

“What was the result of the potion, Asuna?” Kirito asked her, not drawing his eyes from the sky.

“It gave me a new buff.” Asuna explained, once again looking at the status effect on her HP bar.

“What does it say?”

“Anti-comatose.”

Kirito’s gaze shot to Asuna like a target, his eyes opening wide as he realized his mistake.

“Wait, what’s wrong?” she asked, seeing the fear written on his face. He opened his mouth to yell something to her, but the golden particles began to settle around them like flower petals. As they landed on Kirito’s cheek, his eyes instantly began to close, and he fell to his knees. She felt the substance sprinkle her hair, and it glowed on her armor.

“Kirito-kun?!” Asuna yelled in despair, racing to his side and holding him in her arms, “Hey, what’s happening, Kirito-kun?! Answer me!” Yet the boy’s entire weight rested against her, and he went limp, completely unconscious. “No. No, no, no.” Asuna muttered, shaking her head, “This can’t be happening. This absolutely can’t be happening!”

Refusing to let go of Kirito, Asuna scanned the Boss Room, yet there was no movement to be seen. Every single member of the raid group had fallen to the floor, asleep. Even Klein and the other members of the Fuurinkazan were lying face-down on the ground, with golden particles resting on them like snow. One tank of the KoB, who seemed to be able to resist the divine power of Queen Celestia longer than the rest, finally collapsed in front of her eyes, and she watched in fear as the fighter dropped his battle axe.

The weapon fell over the side of the arena, into the pink clouds. Asuna was certain that anything that fell over the edge would fall onto the ground of the floor itself, unable to be retrieved until Queen Celestia was defeated, but to her surprise, the tank’s axe came plummeting from the sky, and wedged itself into the iridescent surface of the Boss Room arena with a clang that seemed to resonate throughout the entire space, creating cracks along the floor.

Everything went still. All of a sudden and all at once, Asuna was very, very alone.

Like a knock to the head, she became aware of the true power of her buff; became aware of what Kirito was trying to tell her; and became aware of her mortality. Completely despondent, she turned her attention back to the boy reposed against her chest, and gently rested him on his back, understanding that Queen Celestia could release her next attack at any moment.

Yet the behemoth ruler seemed to be standing back, watching Asuna scramble for hope futilely with an air of condescension, seemingly entertained by the spectacle.

Tenderly, Asuna pressed a cold and trembling palm against Kirito’s relaxed cheek, her breath catching in her chest as she held back the threatening urge to cry.

He would not want to see her so weak. Not after he had told her how strong she had become. She could not let him witness her in that state. Instead, she steadied her quivering lips, her eyes hardening as she leaned over him.

“Please, wake up.” She pleaded quietly yet forcibly, shaking his shoulder with her free hand. “Please.” Her voice hitched in her throat. “You need to wake up because I can’t do this without you. I’m powerless without you…” Her hand glided from his face, down his neck, to rest against his chest, over his heart. She lowered herself, and her forehead pressed against the rough fabric of his shirt, her voice barely a whisper.

“You promised you would be next to me. You promised you would help me. I know this is my obligation, but without you… I-I can’t…” Her shoulders began to shake, and after that, she could not hold herself back any longer. The tears streamed down her cheeks, plopping against the black cloth, and she sobbed. “I don’t want to die! I can’t do this anymore! Please, Kirito-kun… Come back…”

There was a light laugh, before Queen Celestia peered down at Asuna’s hunched form and switched her staff to the other hand.

“I chose you. No one else can help you now.” The interstellar leader explained, and Asuna lifted her head apathetically, devoid of hope.

“But why?” she asked the divine queen, “What makes me so special?”

“You have proven your worth to me as a competent fighter. We shall have a one-on-one battle to the death. It would not bring my people honor for me to be slaughtered by such a large assemblage.” She gestured to the fallen members of the raid group. “A woman’s honor shall be preserved by a woman’s desire, yes? Now, let us duel.”

A woman’s honor shall be preserved by a woman’s desire.

Asuna’s eyes narrowed in understanding. She was the only girl on the raid team.

Queen Celestia wanted to only fight a woman. This made Asuna wonder what would have happened if there were multiple women in the raid, or none at all, but these thoughts quickly left her mind as the Boss lowered herself to the ground. Landing lightly, her galactic dress and pink hair floated in the wind. She looked the part; appropriate for a battle of the stars. The gargantuan ruler was at least seven times her height, and Asuna looked upwards with anxiety.

Waving her staff in a circular formation, Queen Celestia summoned what appeared to be bright lights to her side. Upon closer inspection, these turned out to be miniature stars.

Asuna had to move.

“I will not be defeated! My reign shall prosper!” the Boss boomed, and the stars plummeted towards Asuna at an amazing speed. Yet the player was faster, and avoiding the first few projectiles in a way that ensured they would hit the ground and not fellow raid members, she was able to counter one with her Lambent Light, sending the orb spinning back towards the Boss. The queen hit the star with her staff, and it ricocheted back in Asuna’s direction.

This game of back-and-forth lasted for about three turns, until the star was finally cut in half with Asuna’s rapier, sending the shards back towards the queen. The fragments of star hit the Boss straight in the star diamanté dangling from her circlet, and she screamed in pain. Asuna noted that the half-HP bar depleted by 20%.  If she repeated that attack pattern five more times, she would win.

Yet, those stars were deadly.

Asuna glanced at her own HP bar, which was on the very edge between green and yellow – about sixty-six percent. She could not tell how much damage one of those stars would do to her if it hit, and pondering on this, Asuna’s heart began to pound in her ears, and she felt light on her feet. However, she could not let Kirito down.

This was her fight.

Regaining her composure, the Queen once again summoned her stars, and sent them hurtling towards the lone fighter. Asuna began to repeat the same process, bouncing the glowing orb back and forth, preparing to cut it in half, when the dreaded happened.

The star was split in half by Queen Celestia’s staff, and the shard came spinning towards Asuna at an unavoidable speed. She tried to yell out in shock, yet before she had time to do anything, they hit her; one in the head, the other in the stomach. She was thrown backwards by the momentum, leaving a trail of dust behind her. Asuna cried out in pain as she rolled further and further away from the center of the arena.

Finally, she skidded to a halt, and opening her eyes, she peered in front of her. No longer was the iridescent floor of the arena in her line of vision, but the pink, cloudlike structure of the ground’s edge. She scampered away in fright, terrified about what would happen if she were to fall.

That was way too close for her liking.

Bringing a hand to her head, Asuna peered at her status effects. The Hypersomniac’s Release had run out, but a new effect was in its place – tumble. The world spun around her. The only thing that remained stable in her line of vision was her HP bar. Her attention was drawn to it, and her face went white.

Those two hits alone, one to her head and one her stomach, were enough to deplete half of her remaining health. The bar inched closer and closer to the red zone, until the color flicked to crimson. Her eyes opened wide, but she refused to cry in fear again. This was her battle; she had to remain strong, for both Kirito and for herself.

Carefully putting pressure on unsteady legs, Asuna stood back up and faced Queen Celestia, her auburn irises flashing with a deep fire. She could not afford another hit like that again.

She could not lose.

Asuna regained her composure and settled into a battle stance, bringing the hilt of her Lambent Light rapier to her jaw and pointing the blade toward her opponent. She did everything in her power to overcome the tumble debuff, focusing her whole attention on the Queen.

The Boss waved her staff in a circle once again, and five more stars appeared by her sides. Thrusting the glowing orbs towards Asuna, the Queen almost seemed to smirk. She could feel the tension residing in the player’s heart. The rallying commenced once again, this time with increased intensity. Back and forth, back and forth, back and…

The star once again split, but this time into thirds. Its shards raced towards the opponent. They hit her weak spot one, two, three times, and the Queen once again yelled out in pain. Asuna breathed a sigh of relief, her chest heaving with exertion. She had used her weakest Sword Skill, Linear, against the orb, yet its dutiful strike broke the projectile just how she wanted it to.

She hoped that three hits meant a thirty percent damage rate. Peering at Queen Celestia’s HP bar, Asuna almost smiled in reprieve. The last half-bar only had fifty percent remaining.

She could do this.

The Boss initiated another rally, but knowing the trick to success, Asuna did not send it back. Instead, she prepared the Lambent Light for a Sword Skill, thrust her rapier deep into the glowing orb with a shout of determination and adrenaline as soon as it sped towards her. This time, the projectile split into quarters, and they hurtled towards the Queen at a terrifying speed. All four shards pierced deep into her star diamanté, and she screeched with rage and agony. The behemoth ruler was brought to her knees, and Asuna focused as the Boss’ HP bar dropped into red territory, and stabilized at 10%.

Asuna could not wait any longer. Her heart raced hard and fast in her chest, like an old steam engine. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, threatening to drop her beloved blade. She felt ready to collapse, her breathing shallow and jagged.

She had to finish this. She had to finish this now.

Asuna remembered the KoB tank and his battle ax – how the weapon had not fallen out of reach to the ground of the floor below, but rather came hurtling back to the arena from above. If Asuna could just reach Queen Celestia’s circlet herself…

She quickly glanced at Kirito, who was still comatose on the floor, and wondered what he would do in this situation. Would he wait for his opponent to deliver one last attack, even though the chances of the bout being the same once the Boss hit the final red zone were slim? Or would he plunge headfirst into an uncertain final, determined to claim victory?

Yes, she knew him well enough to understand exactly what he would do, and she was resolute to see this through to the end in the most spectacular fashion possible.

Turning her back to Queen Celestia, Asuna made a beeline for the arena’s edge. With a shout of courage, she jumped off the edge, into the expanse of pink clouds. Gravity pulled on her, and she rushed through the cotton candy substance at an incredible rapidity. However, suddenly her vision was cleared, and to her relief, she saw the flowing, pink hair of Queen Celestia below her.

Her plan had worked.

Altering her fall, Asuna prepared to land on the Boss. Holding her rapier to her side with a yell, her beloved Lambent Light glowed a remarkable amethyst – the beginning of a Sword Skill. Hearing the player’s call, the Boss looked upwards as Asuna shot towards her. She landed with one boot on either side of the behemoth leader’s nose, and released her fury in the form of her most prized Sword Skill, Star Splash. She watched as Queen Celestia’s HP lowered further and further, before resting on one percent.

This would end everything.

She lifted her rapier into the air, and brought the blade down in a singular thrust – her strongest Linear yet – right through the star diamanté hanging from the Queen’s circlet. The accessory fractured and burst into shards of luminescent blue light. The sword dug deep into the Boss’ forehead, and Queen Celestia’s eyes widened in shock. Her HP completely diminished, and she screamed despairingly before her face began to crack, too. Asuna refused to let go of her blade, and she stared deep into the Queen’s beautiful, extraterrestrial irises. Having been defeated, the Boss’ featured softened, and she stared at Asuna.

“You did well… player…” Celestia whispered, “You are worthy… of my legion… Congratulations.”

Asuna did not let her gaze waver, her chest rising and falling steadily in exhaustion. Her hands continued to shake as they held tightly to her Lambent Light, scared that if she were to let go, the Boss would not truly die.

Somewhere deep inside, Asuna felt a type of commemoration for the way the fight had turned out. This was the first time a ‘singular player versus boss’ battle had ensued, and Asuna felt stronger for it.

The Queen had been a very formidable foe.

Upon the defeat of Queen Celestia, Interstellar Ruler of Crescent Moon, the comatose debuff was lifted from the rest of the raid group. Groggily, Kirito opened his eyes, and it was only when he met the obscure gaze of Klein laying upon the iridescent ground in his vicinity that he remembered what had happened. A jolt of terror raced through his body.

Asuna.

“Asuna!” he cried her name. Scrambling to his feet, Kirito frantically searched the arena for her, and for Queen Celestia. His gaze found the Boss first, but discovering that the gargantuan ruler had turned eerily still, like stone, his heart skipped a light beat in hope.

It was only when he peered higher that he saw her. He saw her on top of the Boss’ face, breathing heavily, with her stunning rapier thrusted deeply into the Queen’s forehead. He saw her, and she had never looked more beautiful.

Large cracks began to run down Queen Celestia’s body, until the entire Boss looked like it would break at any moment. In a burst of blue light, the gigantic body dissipated in front of him – in front of them all – and the Floor Boss was truly defeated.

The rest of the raid group clapped and jumped and cheered, hugging each other and celebrating their win.

Yet Kirito did not join in.

Amongst the shards of blue, a tiny figure fell through the starry space. Kirito raced forward. Although Asuna was a member of the KoB, she was in a raid party with him. He could see her HP bar.

If Asuna fell from that height, she would certainly die.

Kirito did not remember thanking his increased agility as much as he did that day. Bolting towards the disintegrating queen, Kirito arrived underneath Asuna just in time to catch her. The two came crashing to the ground.

“Asuna!” Kirito yelled in relief as he held her body closer to him, “You did it! You defeated the Boss!” Within his embrace, the delicate figure began to shake, clutching onto his shirt and burying her face into his chest.

“I-I was so scared! I thought I was going to die! I thought I was going to die alone! I thought I couldn’t do it!” Asuna sobbed, “I was so, so scared…”

It was only when she broke down in his arms that Kirito fully comprehended what had happened. Asuna was the only one with Celestia’s Blessing. Without it, Kirito had fallen unconscious. That meant, everyone else in the raid party had, too.

Asuna had faced the final battle with the Floor Boss all by herself. She had fought a battle of life and death and had won.

Guilt crept up his chest like a vine, clutching around his vocal cords. A deep sympathy ran through his veins, and his smile waned. Bowing his head in regret, he patted the top of her crown in an attempt to comfort the usually strong-willed girl who had disheveled in front of him.

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” Kirito replied sorrowfully, running his fingers through her hair, “I’m so sorry…” He could feel a tear run down his own cheek.

How stupid had he been? If he had just drunk the concoction himself, she could have avoided this.

It should have been him.

Kirito felt like he could not hold Asuna close enough. He felt like he could not ease her pain enough. She trembled in his arms, absolutely traumatized, and absolutely exhausted. It slashed him deeper than any blade could.

All he could do was apologize.

The other raid members were coming back to their senses, and soon their attention was brought to the fact that Queen Celestia had disappeared, and Asuna was in Kirito’s arms. It was definitely not unknown that the two frontliners were very fond of each other, but there was something in the way that he held her that suggested this went beyond love.

Something irreplaceable had almost been lost.

One of the KoB members stepped forward, concerned about their subleader, but Klein held out a barricading arm. The leader of the Fuurinkazan had figured out what had happened. He knew the two needed time.

The massive, bolded ‘Congratulations’ sign burst overhead, but no one was celebrating anymore. Although there were no player casualties, what had happened in that Floor Boss fight seemed like death and rebirth. Asuna had risked her life to save the ones of her fellow raid members. She put everything, her absolute all, on the line for victory.

Everyone stood silently in commemoration.

As everyone received their EXP and loot winnings, Asuna weakly peered in front at the screen that appeared before her. At the top, the info box stated, ‘Last Attack Bonus’, before providing a list that would be very similar to everyone else’s. She smiled softly through her tears, before turning back to Kirito.

“I… I received my first LA bonus.” She laughed. Kirito looked down at her and smiled in return. He could not believe Asuna had depleted the last half a Boss’ HP bar on her own. Every day, she seemed to surprise him more. She always seemed to have a new aspect to her determination hidden that left him awestruck when he discovered it. That was when he realized.

He truly did love her.

“You did well.” He replied. Her eyes crinkled happily in his arms.

“Thank you.” She replied softly before her real body’s brain shut down with exhaustion, and she fainted in front of him. His grip tightened around her. It was now her turn to rest.

As they were in a raid party together, Kirito and Asuna had been given the option to show each other their own inventories. As they had selected this setting before the Boss battle, Kirito opened his inventory and switched to Asuna’s, to see what the Last Attack bonus loot was. Of course, he could not remove the item for himself, but he could click on it for more data.

He tapped on the first item that appeared, for it was the newest. An information box came up which described,

‘Celestia’s Interstellar Circlet: A powerful circlet which gives the wearer the power of the stars. Wearing this headdress increases defense by 10+, and prevents dizziness debuffs. Additionally, the wearer can summon temporary handheld stars, which can be shot at enemies in a projectile fashion. This power must be regenerated after use. This was once the signifying garnet of Queen Celestia, Interstellar Ruler of Crescent Moon.’

It was a headdress befitting Asuna, for she was so ethereal, sometimes Kirito could not truly fathom that she was wholeheartedly his.

**Author's Note:**

> This work was inspired by tumblr user [lilcullxn](lilcullxn.tumblr.com)! Thank you for the prompt! The prompt was: ** _“You need to wake up because I can’t do this without you.”_**
> 
> [The prompt list can be found here!~](http://asuuna.tumblr.com/post/162456527792)


End file.
